Russian Prisoner Swap

[SirNotAppearing]

So I had heard that 2 children were part of the prisoner swap and was confused. Turns out their parents were arrested 2 years ago in Slovenia for espionage and the children were placed in foster care. They had been posing as Argentinians, with the man's name being "Ludwig," that super common Spanish name. Children found out they are Russian on the plane to Moscow and, no, they don't speak Russian and had no idea who Putin is. He apparently said things to them in Spanish.
Feels like the parents may have some long explanations ahead...

https://www.newsday.com/news/nation/...er-swap-w97874

Reminds me of the series "The Americans".

[Morrison]

Reminds me of the series "The Americans".

Or Canadians

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50858439

[SirNotAppearing]

Some in NJ. Probably trying to influence Stephen Colbert.

https://www.nj.com/news/2010/06/accused_russian_spies_lived_un.html

[MABinPengChau]

Reminds me of the series "The Americans".

Reminds me of the Coneheads- "We come from France"


https://youtu.be/qrUOFs-hZ-M?si=spwQsJZjaY-y4CVZ&t=80


Mom, Dad, why do you speak Spanish with an accent if we're from Argentina? And why are we eating all this borscht instead of empanadas?

[Peaky]

Pretty messed up... I have a friend whose grandfather was a German double agent. Parent went through the same in their teens, realising they weren't all that British and that their family name had been entirely made up by the German authorities.

Bigger issue seems to be the happy negotiation with Russian terrorism (that china eastern route to london looks a bit scarier now for anoyone with a western passport)... but it's a red line to do a plea deal with the guantanamo lot.

[Elegiaque]

I'm pretty sure there was a Calvin and Hobbes imagining this. Some kids always dream their parents will come clean about a secret identity and get a whole new life.

[Morrison]

Pretty messed up... I have a friend whose grandfather was a German double agent. Parent went through the same in their teens, realising they weren't all that British and that their family name had been entirely made up by the German authorities.

Bigger issue seems to be the happy negotiation with Russian terrorism (that china eastern route to london looks a bit scarier now for anoyone with a western passport)... but it's a red line to do a plea deal with the guantanamo lot.

Quote from Wikipedia
In 1917, the First World War caused the British king George V to officially change the name from "Saxe-Coburg and Gotha" to "Windsor" in the United Kingdom.

[MABinPengChau]

This spy was named the worst in American history from a damage point of view.

His wife was my daughter's homeroom teacher at an extremely conservative (Opus Dei) girls' Catholic school at the time of his arrest. I did mention to her a few months later at a school play some of the advantages to being a single parent, e.g., always having for dinner what YOU want for a change. She thought about it for a minute and said, you know, you're right...I could see an awakening...she just retired a few years ago and he died in prison. I wish her every happiness...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hanssen

[moctapxe]

I am sure the families are pleased that their loved ones are finally home; one point for the Democrats and one point deducted for Trump.

[shri]

Might be of interest .. (she is not on the list of the prisoners swapped and she donated while she was in the US, as a US citizen.

U.S.-Russian dual national Ksenia Khavana was convicted Thursday of treason in a Russian court and sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges stemming from a donation of about $52 to a charity aiding Ukraine.

Khavana, identified by Russian authorities by her maiden name of Ksenia Karelina, was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg in February and pleaded guilty in a closed trial last week, news reports said.

Khavana, a 33-year-old former ballet dancer, reportedly obtained U.S. citizenship after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles. She had returned to Russia to visit her family.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/t...reason-charges